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Hanna-Barbera

Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. ( ; formerly known as H-B Enterprises, Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. and H-B Production Co.), commonly known simply as Hanna-Barbera, was an American animation studio and production company that operated from 1957 until its absorption into Warner Bros. Animation in 2001. The studio was founded on July 7, 1957, by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, the creators of ''Tom and Jerry'' and former MGM Cartoons employees, along with film producer George Sidney. Initially headquartered at Kling Studios in Los Angeles from 1957 to 1960, the company later moved to Cahuenga Boulevard until 1998, and finally to the Sherman Oaks Galleria in Sherman Oaks from 1998 to 2001.

Hanna-Barbera became known for producing a vast array of iconic animated series, including ''The Huckleberry Hound Show'', ''Yogi Bear'', ''Scooby-Doo'', and multiple iterations and feature-length films of ''Flintstones''. The studio also produced the popular ''Smurfs'' series. Through its extensive output of television shows, specials, and movies, Hanna-Barbera arguably became one of the most successful animation studios in the world, rivaling Disney, with its characters appearing across various media, merchandising, and consumer products.

However, by the 1980s, the studio’s dominance declined as the market for Saturday-morning cartoons weakened and weekday syndication grew in importance. Hanna-Barbera was acquired by Taft Broadcasting in 1966 and remained under its ownership until 1991, when Turner Broadcasting System purchased the company. Turner utilized Hanna-Barbera’s extensive back catalog to help launch Cartoon Network in 1992, giving a new platform for the studio’s classic animated properties.

After William Hanna passed away in 2001, Hanna-Barbera ceased to exist as an independent studio and was fully integrated into Warner Bros. Animation. Despite this, the Hanna-Barbera brand continues to be used for copyright, marketing, and branding purposes on many of its classic animated properties now managed by Warner Bros. Provided by Wikipedia